1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a terminal inserted and locked in a terminal accommodating chamber of a connector housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 11,12 and 13 show a prior art terminal.
This terminal 51 has an electric contact portion 53 for receiving a mating terminal (not shown) at one end of a rectangular base plate 52 and a wire-connecting portion 54 for fixing an electric wire (not shown) at the other end.
The electric contact portion 53 has standing side walls 55a,55b on both sides of the base plate 52, and a locking member 56 and protection walls 57 are formed on the side walls 55a,55b. The wire-connecting portion 54 consists of a conductor fixer 58 for fixing a conductor of a wire and a sheathing fixer 59 for fixing a sheathed portion of the wire, both standing on the base plate 52. Reference numeral 60 is a connection belt connecting a plurality of terminals 51.
As shown in FIG. 13, when the wire is pulled after insertion of a wired terminal 51' into a terminal accommodating chamber 62 of a connector housing 61, the terminal 51 moves in the corresponding direction. Coming-out of the wired terminal 51' is prevented with abutment of an edge 56a of the locking member 56 against a locking step 63.
In the above prior art terminal, however, when the wired terminal 51' is pulled excessively, a middle portion 56b of the locking member 56 deforms in a bow shape as shown in FIG. 14, and then the locking member 56 has been apt to be damaged. And, incomplete accommodation of the terminal 51 or coming-out of the terminal 51 from the terminal accommodating chamber 62 occurred. In such case, a mating connector (not shown) could not be connected to the terminal 51.
As another prior art, a terminal 70 shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 has been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration Application Laid-open No. 62-173179.
Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, the terminal 70 has a rectangle-tubular electric contact portion 72 at one end of a base plate 71 and a wire-connecting portion 73 at the other end. A resilient locking member 74 stands from an end of the base plate 71 in the electric contact portion 72, and projecting pieces 75 are provided on both sides of the locking member 74 and engaging openings 76 are provided on respective side walls 72a of the electric contact portion 72, whereby movement of free end portions of the projecting pieces 75 is restricted within the engaging openings 76.
On inserting the terminal 70 into a terminal accommodating chamber 82 of a connector housing 81, the locking member 74 of the terminal 70 and a locking step 83 projecting in the terminal accommodating chamber 82 abut each other. In case the terminal 70 is pulled reversely in the above state, a free end 74a of the locking member 74 abuts against a front end surface 83a of the locking step 83, thereby preventing coming-out of the terminal 70.
However, since thickness d' of the locking member 74 is thin, the locking member 74 has been apt to be damaged or deformed in case the terminal 70 is pulled in a direction R, thereby resulting in imperfect retaining of the terminal 70 in the terminal accommodating chamber 82. And, for example, even in case of drawing out the terminal 70 engaged in the terminal accommodating chamber 82 using a drawing jig (not shown), the locking member 74 was deformed easily. Further, since the engaging openings 76 have to be located at high position in the side walls 72a in compliance with position of the projecting pieces 75 of the locking member 74, high side walls have been required, resulting in the terminal 70 with a large height.